Awareness-Raising Workshop On HIV/AIDS At Kosh Correctional Institution

In the framework of ART HIV/AIDS prevention project, a number of awareness raising events on HIV/AIDS have been accomplished by clergy of Armenian Apostolic Church in various regions of Armenia in collaboration with the trainer of ’Real World, Real People’ (RWRP) NGO. On May 30, 2011 a workshop on HIV/AIDS was held in Kosh correctional institution which is located in village Kosh of Aragatsotn province. It is one of the biggest male correctional institutions in Armenia with 900 prisoners.
The training was held for 50 prisoners and staff of the institution.
The clergy of Araragatsotn Diocese — Fr. Ghevond Gapoyan and the trainer of “Real World, Real People” NGO – Sam Tadevosyan — who work with people living with HIV, introduced the medical, psychological and other aspects of HIV/AIDS to the audience, as well as presented the problems faced by people living with HIV (PLHIV), such as stigma and discrimination and the current situation related to HIV/AIDS in Armenia and around the world. In his presentation Sam Tadevosyan made a special focus on ways of HIV transmission and prevention.
Considering the limited access to the penitentiary institutions by NGOs and the need for prevention expressed by the management of the institution, the initiative aimed at informing prisoners and staff on HIV/AIDS and the problems faced by PLHIV, to break the existing stereotypes and discrimination.
By the end of the workshop the prisoners were provided with a number of booklets related to HIV prevention, which they will spread among other prisoners who were not able to participate in this workshop.